R Ashwin and M Vijay are different characters in quite a few respects. While Ashwin is an extrovert, Vijay opens up only to a select few. Ashwin is a Rajinikanth fan, but Vijay swears by Kamal Haasan. For a long time they represented rival teams in the citys first-division league.Their paths, however, converge at their mothership: Chennai. Many in the city dote on them - they are currently Chennais biggest cricketing icons - and they cant love it back enough.They last played a Test match in Chennai nearly four years ago with contrasting fortunes - Ashwin grabbed 12 wickets whereas Vijay could muster only 16 runs in two innings and was probably one failure away from being dropped. However, when they head to Chepauk on Friday morning, such memories will come a distant second to the emotions that have surrounded them and their city over the last few days.Chennai has had two horrific Decembers in succession, with Cyclone Vardah ripping through the city, uprooting trees, claiming lives, and dismantling communication and logistics. Vijay and Ashwin have been deeply affected, just as they were during the floods that claimed hundreds of lives last year. This time they have also had to cope with personal bereavement: while it is learnt that the brother of Ashwins grandfather died during the cyclone, Vijay dedicated his century in Mumbai to a close friends father who had passed away on the first day of the Test.Former India wicketkeeper Bharath Reddy, who is in charge of Jolly Rovers - the team that Vijay played for in the TNCA league - says Vijay kept tabs of the situation on the ground in Chennai while he was away. I am sure he will try to get a hundred and dedicate it to the victims of the cyclone, Reddy says. While he was away from Chennai, he checked with me to see how people were, and also told me, If anybody approaches you for help, let me know. I am willing to help them when this tour finishes.Vijays love for people, according to Reddy, means he also fancies a career in politics once his playing days are over. He is 100% [a Chennai boy at heart], thats why he wants to get into politics, Reddy says. He has been telling me this for the last two years. He is a fun-loving person, he feels safe in this place and he feels like a king also, which undoubtedly he is because he is a Chennai boy.Former Tamil Nadu batsman R Prasanna, who counts among a handful of Vijays best friends, recalls a conversation with Vijay sometime in 2008 when he hadnt yet become a part of the IPL. Vijay, according to Prasanna, wanted Chennai to be the first franchise he turned out for. I still remember that we were discussing this at a tea shop opposite to the stadium after our Ranji Trophy camp. He went on to play for Chennai Super Kings and that proved to be a big break for him. Whenever he is out of Chennai, he longs to return to the city as soon as he can and spend time with his friends, Prasanna says. During the floods last year, he was away in Delhi for the Test match against South Africa, but was anxious about my safety in Chennai. We spoke a week after the floods, and he said he would come home because he hadnt seen my baby daughter till then.Sai Kumar, a close friend of Ashwin who lives and works in the UK, says Ashwin, too, did his bit during the floods. During the floods last year, Ashwin wasnt available - I think he and Prithi [Ashwins wife] were in Delhi for the Test match against South Africa - but he was trying to help in whatever way he could. Although he couldnt be physically present, he was retweeting all the tweets on the flood situation. He even donated notebooks to one of the schools.[The cyclone aftermath] is a very tough time, and this is the ground he has grown up playing on, so emotions will definitely run high. Knowing his personality, I am sure he will rock in Chennai.In 2013, when Ashwin garroted Australia, he said Chepauk had never looked more beautiful. I was in complete awe, smiling all through. I feel the air talks to me, he said then. Even if it turns out to be my last Test match, this will remain the happiest moment of my life.Four years on, Ashwin and Vijay are quite some way from the finishing line, and are in a far better space. Chennai will turn up in numbers and I am pretty sure about it, Ashwin told bcci.tv. The only factor will be how easily it is accessible from outside - because the trees have fallen all over the city, the commuting is a bit of a problem. But, if there is any city that will come back to its feet fast, it is Chennai. When my name is announced to bowl or bat, the way the crowd will erupt is something I really look forward to.And erupt it will, each time Ashwin and Vijay set foot on the ground. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. http://www.jerseysnfl.net/ . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees saw their bats go quiet the last time they had a chance to get three games over .500 for the first time this season.This time, New York will hope for a more productive showing and if they cant get a big day at the plate, the Yankees will hope to be as opportunistic as they were Friday.New York makes its second attempt at going three games over Saturday afternoon when it continues a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants.The Yankees reached the elusive two games over .500 mark Wednesday when they had a 5-0 shutout of the Baltimore Orioles. In their first attempt at going three over, the Yankees had four hits and were handed a 4-1 loss to Baltimore while facing Chris Tillman.New York faced another ace Friday when it took swings against Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarners presence led to Didi Gregorius, Mark Teixeira and Jacoby Ellsbury getting the night off and the Yankees did enough and capitalized on their chances.In the series-opening 3-2 win, Chase Headley wound up scoring the winning run in the eighth on a throwing error by Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. Headley wound up scoring the winning run because Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller allowed runs in the seventh and eighth.Headleys dash allowed the Yankees to improve to 7-4 in the last two weeks while facing Cleveland, Boston and Baltimore and San Francisco, teams which have been in first place this season.Were fighting for our lives from here on out and we found a way to win, Headley said. We got to do the same thing tomorrow.Meanwhile the Giants would like to stop repeating what happened Friday and what has taken place since the All-Star break. Crawford committed a career-high three errors, giving the Giants 10 during a season-high six-game losing streak.Besides the defense, the Giants have struggled in the clutch. Pinch hitter Mac Williamsons game-tying double in the eighth off Andrew Miller was their only hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position and San Francisco is 7-for-51 in those situations during this skid.We hit a couple of balls hard, but we didnt get a break, I thought, today, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. And thats the way it goes. When youre in winning streaks, everything goes right.dddddddddddd Right now, its not going well for us. But still, you make your breaks. Weve got to tighten up and play crisper ball.New Yorks pitching has shined this week after Masahiro Tanaka allowed four hits in six innings, highlighting his outing by working out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.New Yorks starters have allowed one run or less in five of the last six games and Ivan Nova will be tasked with continuing the run of effectiveness.One of the best outings of Ivan Novas career took place against the Giants. On Sept. 21, 2013 in New York, he pitched a six-hitter. It was his second career shutout and he is 15-19 with a 5.24 ERA in 41 appearances.Nova is one of six pitchers since 1900 who have thrown at least nine scoreless innings against the Giants but has not looked like that pitcher for most of this season.Nova is 7-5 with a 4.92 ERA and is coming off one of his best starts. In Mondays win over the Baltimore Orioles, he allowed one run in six innings and over his last three starts, he has a 3.24 ERA after posting a 7.52 mark in his previous five.Right-hander Jeff Samardzija would also like to get things turnaround. Although he made the All-Star team and is 9-5, Samardzjia is 2-2 with a 6.02 ERA in his last eight starts.His previous outing was last Saturdays 7-6 loss in San Diego when he allowed five runs (four earned) and five hits in five innings and did not get a decision.Before this skid, he has been 7-3 with a 2.84 ERA.Samardzija has faced the Yankees three times and is 0-1 with a 6.92 ERA in those games. Last year he faced New York while pitching for the Chicago White Sox and allowed nine earned runs in 4 2/3 innings on Aug. 2.San Francisco may be without Buster Posey, who left Fridays game in the fourth inning with a right foot contusion. He had x-rays after getting injured on a foul ball off his foot and is day-to-day.It just wasnt really feeling better, Posey said. Good thing is, x-rays are negative, so hopefully well get it feeling good as soon as possible. ' ' '